Match Report: Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle

In the televised 14:00 Premier League game in the UK, Chelsea welcomed Newcastle United to Stamford Bridge.

For this game, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca opted for a line up of; Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, James; Caicedo, Lavia; Madueke, Palmer, Neto; Jackson.

Meanwhile, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe went with; Pope; Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Tonali, Guimares, Joelinton; Almiron, Isak, Barnes.

Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle: As it happened

Chelsea thought they had made the dream start within the first five minutes, after Palmer found the back of the net, having been slipped through by Jackson. However, after a lengthy VAR check, the goal was adjudged to have been offside.

It would not take long for the hosts to go in front for good, however. An absolutely superb through ball from Palmer found Neto in behind the Newcastle backline down the left hand side, with the Portuguese winger crossing for Jackson, who kept his composure when well positioned to fire the ball into the back of the net.

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The lead would only last fourteen minutes. A well worked Newcastle move, with one Chelsea academy graduate in Livramento at the heart of it, resulted in another one, Hall, crossing the ball for Isak to tap home. There were VAR checks on both Hall and Isak to see if they were onside, but all was good and the goal stood. That would be the final goal of the half, as the sides went into the break at 1-1.

That said, it only took two minutes of the second half for Chelsea to regain the lead. A midfield battle ended with Lavia poking the ball away from a couple of Newcastle players and releasing Palmer in space, who drove towards goal, and fired in a left footed strike from the edge of the box. Pope perhaps would have wanted to do slightly better with that.

There were twenty minutes of normal time left when Isak had a header saved that he probably felt he should have done better with. Then, with around ten minutes of the game left, he rounded Sanchez, but could not decide whether to pass to Joelinton or go for goal, and was dispossessed by the time he had made his mind up.

That would be that, and Chelsea would run out 2-1 winners, despite numerous chances created by Newcastle.

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